Microsoft shows off 3D and NUI technology (w/ Video)

(PhysOrg.com) -- Craig Mundie, the number two man over at Microsoft gave journalists a sneak peek at the newest bit of technology to come out of Microsoft Labs.

This one is software that works with your camera. Not a specially designed camera, but with pretty much use any ordinary camera that you happen to have around the house. With that camera and the software users will be able to make 3-D scans of people or objects. Basically, as long as you can shoot it from enough angles the software can make it 3D.

The technology was demonstrated in a real-time 3D collaboration tool. Microsoft labs in two different areas of the world were able to interact with a 3D model of an object using a tool similar to a whiteboard. The researchers were able to use the tools to manipulate the object together.

While this was the biggest of the event it was not the only advance that the engineers at Microsoft Labs have shared with the world. All of those technological advances are based around the idea that the NUI, or natural user interface, will replace the GUI, or graphical user interface, in the next few years. For those of you not familiar with the concept of a NUI it is the idea that users will interact with the computer via methods such as touch, voice and motion commands, instead of using a keyboard and mouse combination to navigate the system and issue commands.

No information was given about if or when this technology will be available for use in consumer devices, or made available to PC makers.